Azza Abdelaziz

Egyptian environmental scientist pioneering plastic recycling innovations in the Middle East

Dr. Azza Abdelaziz, born in Cairo in 1989, is revolutionizing waste management through her groundbreaking research in polymer degradation. Her 2008 discovery of a cost-effective method to convert plastic waste into biofuel earned her the European Union's Young Scientist Award. This process, now patented as AzzaTech, has been implemented in 15 Egyptian cities, diverting 40% of municipal plastic waste from landfills. Abdelaziz co-founded the Green Future Initiative, training 3,000+ youth in waste management techniques. Her collaboration with the UNDP led to the Egyptian Circular Economy Framework, adopted by 8 Arab nations. Beyond technical innovation, she developed the Recycle Heroes app, which gamifies waste collection and has been downloaded in 42 countries. Abdelaziz's TEDx talk "Plastic as a Resource" has inspired global environmental networks like the Plastic Free Future. Her work was featured in National Geographic's 2021 special on Middle East sustainability.